It was unfortunate that we only had one night in Jasper. There were nearby hikes, scenic roads, and ghost towns that we never had a chance to explore. We had to head down south again, back to Calgary, to fly to Vancouver early the next morning. We had originally planned to drive from Jasper through … Continue reading Traveling Canada: Jasper & the “Wildfire Plan”
I was so excited for our drive up the Icefields Parkway. There’s nothing that invigorates me more than a long, lackadaisical trip down a new road with mountains enveloping me. The weather forecast said to expect rain and thunderstorms, but the sky was a piercing shade of blue with only a sporadic cloud to block … Continue reading Traveling Canada: The Icefields Parkway
Another early and tranquil morning in downtown Banff. The drive to Johnston Canyon for today’s hike was peppered with rain, but it moved through quickly like the weather here does. The trail to the canyon ran along rushing water, and it was a more relaxed pace than yesterdays. Passing a few waterfalls, the trail turned … Continue reading Traveling Canada: Banff National Park, Day 2
Bloggers and general writer-types will understand the “blocks” you sometimes feel when sitting down to document a trip – this particular one has resulted in a 1.5 month delay in posting. I could blame the pandemic for my flighty mind and fidgety typing fingers, and it wouldn’t be entirely untrue. But the reality is that … Continue reading Traveling Canada: Banff National Park, Day 1
There was one last night on the road before flying home, and I felt the distance the minute we pulled away from Glacier National Park. The mountains beseeched me to stay but as the tires rolled along, and the landscape grew flatter, I had to leave them behind. Down that long stretch of road was … Continue reading Road Trip Montana: Heading Home, East Glacier to Billings
My favorite thing is the mountain air first thing in the morning. It’s infinitely gentle – full inside my lungs in a way that’s almost too much. We prepared for another pre-6am entry into the park to drive the Eastern side of Going-to-the-Sun-Road from St Mary’s Village. Our car rolled slowly down the quiet road … Continue reading Road Trip Montana: Glacier National Park (East Side)
We hit the road early the next morning, bound for the Two Medicine area of Glacier on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, where you don’t need Going-To-The-Sun-Road tickets (but do need a mask! Businesses will provide one if you forget). Our destination hike was Scenic Point which was the ultimate favorite of our server Maria’s from … Continue reading Road Trip Montana: Glacier National Park (Two Medicine)
I’m undeniably different in the mountains. It feels like I belong here in a deep and magnetic way. Today we set off for the west side of Glacier National Park, along a beautiful drive around Flathead Lake. The entire journey was scenic – dirt roads jutting off infinitely into the mountain bases and tiny lakes … Continue reading Road Trip Montana: Glacier National Park (West Side)
Choosing our one night in Bozeman to act like boozy delinquents was a mistake. The 6-pack nightcap from the gas station next to the motel was another mistake. We eventually pulled ourselves from bed and hit the road towards Missoula. What would have been a 2-hour breeze of a drive was about to be 6 … Continue reading Road Trip Montana: Garnet Ghost Town & Ringing Rocks
I slept like a brick in Cooke City, and by the early morning hours, I had started to feel less altitude fatigued. We picked up another Gatorade (a life-saver), some coffees, and a few fresh pastries from the Bearclaw Bakery before hitting the road. We planned to continue driving US-212 until we hit US-89 to … Continue reading Road Trip Montana: Yellowstone Bison & Bozeman Beers
